That Maverick of Mine, page 1
MONTANA MAVERICKS
Welcome to Big Sky Country, home of the Montana Mavericks! Where free-spirited men and women discover love on the range.
THE TRAIL TO TENACITY
Tenacity is the town that time forgot, home of down-to-earth cowboys who’d give you the (denim) shirt off their back. Through the toughest times, they’ve held their heads high, and they’ve never lost hope. Take a ride out this way and get to know the neighbors—you might even meet the maverick of your dreams!
Faith Hawkins had always liked to live dangerously. And what could be more dangerous than flirting with “just passing through” cowboy Caleb Strom? Caleb has made it clear he’s not interested in a commitment, and that suits Faith just fine. Once burned, lesson learned, but neither of them counted on their chemistry or their common bonds. Both adopted. Both cautious. And, just possibly, meant to be!
Dear Reader,
Welcome back to Bronco, Montana, home of the famous Hawkins sisters. These rodeo stars have been falling in love recently, and now it’s Faith’s turn. After years spent traveling the rodeo circuit, she’s considering settling down in Bronco to be near her family. That new lifestyle is enough of a change for her. She’s not looking to add romance to the mix. But she’s not opposed to having a good time with the right man.
Enter Caleb Strom. Although he is completely attracted to Faith, he’s not interested in a romantic relationship. He is on a mission to find his birth father and can’t even think of falling in love until that matter is settled.
Don’t you love it when two people who are perfect for each other agree that they aren’t interested in romance? Come along and watch as Faith and Caleb’s friendship turns into love. Of course, there are a few bumps and bruises as they travel the road to their happily-ever-after, but that just adds to the fun.
I hope you enjoy reading That Maverick of Mine as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I love hearing from my readers. Drop me a line at kathydouglassbooks.com to let me know what you think about Faith and Caleb, and I promise to get back to you.
Happy Reading!
Kathy
That Maverick of Mine
Kathy Douglass
Kathy Douglass is a lawyer turned author of sweet small-town contemporary romances. She is married to her very own hero and mother to two sons, who cheer her on as she tries to get her stubborn hero and heroine to realize they are meant to be together. She loves hearing from readers that something in her books made them laugh or cry. You can learn more about Kathy or contact her at kathydouglassbooks.com.
Books by Kathy Douglass
Montana Mavericks: The Trail to Tenacity
That Maverick of Mine
Montana Mavericks: The Anniversary Gift
Starting Over with the Maverick
Harlequin Special Edition
Montana Mavericks: Lassoing Love
Falling for Dr. Maverick
Aspen Creek Bachelors
Valentines for the Rancher
The Rancher’s Baby
Wrangling a Family
Montana Mavericks: Brothers & Broncos
In the Ring with the Maverick
The Fortunes of Texas: The Wedding Gift
A Fortune in the Family
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
This book is dedicated with love and appreciation to my husband and sons. Thank you for always supporting my dreams and encouraging me to follow them.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Excerpt from Fortune’s Faux Engagement by Carrie Nichols
Chapter One
Caleb Strom stepped into the arena of the Bronco Convention Center and looked around. The arena, which held about four thousand seats, was packed with a raucous crowd who’d come to honor Brooks Langtree, one of rodeo’s legendary cowboys. Thirty years ago, Langtree had won the Golden Buckle, a special tribute reserved for the profession’s most promising new stars. From all accounts, he had gone on to have an illustrious career, winning numerous awards, being named Cowboy of the Year several times, and serving as a role model for another generation of rodeo riders. Now he was back in Bronco, Montana, and was being celebrated as part of the Golden Buckle Rodeo.
Caleb pulled the flyer announcing Brooks Langtree Day from his pocket and studied it again even though everything there was seared into his mind. He’d folded and unfolded the paper so many times that he’d worn creases in it. He remembered the first time he’d seen the announcement. He and some of his friends had been going to lunch at the diner back home in Tenacity, a town about one hundred miles away from Bronco. One of his buddies had picked up the flyer from a stack by the cash register and shared it with the others. They’d pointed out that Caleb and Brooks Langtree looked so much alike that the two of them could be related. The guys had teased him about hitting up his famous relative for a loan. Caleb had thought that his friends had been pulling his leg until he’d taken a glance at the flyer for himself. The face on the advertisement seemingly looking back at him had made him dizzy. The eyes, nose, chin and cheekbones were the same. Brooks Langtree looked like Caleb imagined he would in twenty years.
At first, Caleb tried to ignore the resemblance. What was that famous saying? Everyone has a twin somewhere in the world. The fact that his lookalike happened to be a famous rodeo rider twenty years his senior didn’t mean that they were related. It could be pure coincidence. Physical resemblance wasn’t proof. It didn’t mean that Brooks Langtree was his long-lost biological father.
Even so, Caleb had begun investigating the other man. He’d gotten his hands on everything he could find. He’d found and devoured old interviews in rodeo magazines and newspaper articles. He’d watched a couple of short videos on YouTube. He’d studied the information so intently that he practically knew every word by heart. By all accounts, Brooks Langtree was honest and honorable. A man with a stellar character.
Not at all the kind of man who would abandon his own months-old infant. And certainly not the type to insist the child be given no information about him.
Iris and Nathan Strom had adopted Caleb as an infant. He couldn’t have asked for better parents. They’d given him a wonderful childhood filled with love and joy. They had never hidden the fact that he had been adopted. It hadn’t mattered to any of them. They were a real family.
The adoption had been closed and the Stroms knew next to nothing about Caleb’s birth parents. In the past, he had been satisfied with the little that he’d known about them. His birth mother had died a few months after he’d been born, and his father had given him up for adoption shortly thereafter. It was only after he’d turned thirty that Caleb had begun to want to know more about where he’d come from.
Even so, the resemblance couldn’t be ignored. Not only that, it was the only clue Caleb had to go on in his search to find his biological family. He hadn’t been successful before now. Brooks Langtree was as good a place to resume the search as anywhere.
Was it possible that Brooks Langtree was the man Caleb was searching for?
Caleb refolded the paper and slipped it into his pocket, then gave his head a mental shake. He needed to slow down and stop jumping to conclusions. Caleb had come here in order to get a good look at the man in person. Given the size of the crowd, many of them already occupying the seats nearest the makeshift stage that had been erected in the middle of the arena, an up-close-and-personal look wasn’t going to happen.
Caleb was so busy staring at the stage that he didn’t notice the person in front of him had stopped walking until he bumped into her. The woman turned around and stared at him. An apology was forming on his lips as he looked into her face. Then every thought in his mind vanished except one. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. He searched his mind for words to say, but he couldn’t form a coherent sentence to save his life. The woman was staring at him with wide brown eyes. Wide, beautiful brown eyes. He noticed the expectant expression on her face a second before she shook her head in obvious disgust and turned away.
Caleb had never had trouble sweeping a woman off her feet, so being speechless and inept was a new experience for him. He could only attribute his clumsiness to being shook up at possibly seeing his birth father for the first time in thirty years.
As much as possibly seeing his birth father after all this time had him rattled, Caleb knew that was only a small part of the reason he was so flummoxed. The other was the stunning woman who was currently laughing and talking with several other women. One glance at her was all that it had taken to make his heart lurch. If he didn’t want her to think that he was a total loser, he needed to do something fast. He knew it was impossible to make a second first impression, but hopefully, there was still time to improve on their initial interaction.
He tapped the woman on her shoulder. She spun around and stared at him, her right eyebrow raised. The expression on her face was a mixture of annoyance
“I want to apologize for bumping into you earlier. I was a bit distracted and didn’t watch where I was walking. I hope I didn’t hurt you.” He gave her his most charming smile—the one that generally had women eating out of his hand.
She stared at him for a long moment, and he held his breath as he awaited her response. Then she nodded and smiled. “I’m okay. I guess in a crowd this size a person should expect to be bumped into.”
She started to turn back to the women with her and Caleb feared that he was about to lose the opportunity to get to know her better. He extended his hand and blurted, “I’m Caleb Strom.”
Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled and then turned back to him. She took the hand he offered. “I’m Faith Hawkins.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Faith.” Her hand was soft and warm and he was reluctant to release it. But he didn’t want to look like a creep either by holding on too long, so he released her fingers. “Are you related to the Hawkins rodeo family?”
Faith nodded and smiled. “I am indeed.”
“Your family is legendary.” Caleb wasn’t much of a rodeo fan, but he recognized the name from his rodeo research on Brooks Langtree. He’d seen a few references to the Hawkins women. Although he hadn’t done more than skim the articles that mentioned their names, he knew that they—especially Hattie Hawkins, the matriarch of the family—had been influential in the sport.
“Some of us are. My grandmother was a trailblazer. My mother and aunts followed in her footsteps, making names for themselves as the Hawkins Sisters. The women of my generation are trying to live up to their illustrious reputations.”
“From what I gather, you ladies are well on your way.” Caleb smiled, grateful that he’d spent the time studying up on rodeo so he could be conversant.
“Thank you. We do our best.”
He was searching for something to say to extend the conversation when the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Caleb had been so focused on Faith that he hadn’t noticed that everyone else had settled into seats. Caleb’s eyes darted around the stage, searching for Brooks Langtree. The older man was leaning against the side of his armchair, chatting with the woman seated beside him. Langtree said something that amused the woman and they both laughed. For a reason that escaped him, Caleb was irritated by the sight. He wasn’t even sure if Brooks Langtree was his biological father, so the sight of him enjoying himself shouldn’t be an annoyance. Not only that, it was ridiculous to expect the man not to have a good time on a day designed to celebrate his accomplishments.
Besides, Caleb surely didn’t expect his biological father to be miserable after all this time. Thirty years had passed since Caleb had been given away. That was more than enough time for penance. By now, the man surely had come to grips with what he’d done and moved on with his life.
That is if Brooks Langtree actually was his father—something that had yet to be established. If all went according to plan, Caleb would discover the truth today. And if Brooks Langtree wasn’t his biological father? Then Caleb wasn’t any worse off than he’d been this morning. He’d simply spent an hour or so in the presence of a rodeo legend and his legion of fans. Not only that, he would have met a gorgeous woman.
Faith and the women sat down. Faith was in the aisle seat next to where Caleb was currently standing.
“Do you mind if I sit with you and your friends?” Caleb asked.
Faith nodded up at him and then spoke to the other women. As one, the others rose and scooted over a seat, leaving the aisle seat—next to Faith—vacant for Caleb. He couldn’t have planned it better.
“Thank you,” Caleb said, leaning over so he could whisper in Faith’s ear. Her sweet scent filled his nostrils, wrapping around him and filling him with sudden desire so strong it shocked him.
“You’re welcome,” she whispered back. Her low, sultry voice suited her perfectly. With high cheekbones, full lips, dark brown eyes and clear brown skin, she was absolutely breathtaking. She was only about five foot two, but every inch of her was perfect. She looked delicate, but he knew she had to be strong in order to compete in rodeo like her family. He’d followed in his father’s footsteps and was co-owner of Strom and Son Feed and Farm Supply, so he understood how important it was to carry on the family legacy.
Would he feel drawn to rodeo if he had been raised by Brooks Langtree? Would he be a bull rider or a bronc rider, competing in rodeos every week? Those questions couldn’t be answered, even if it turned out that Brooks and Caleb were related. Greater minds than him had participated in the nature versus nurture debate.
Faith put her arm on the armrest between their seats, nudging his arm aside. When he looked at her, she flashed him a disarming smile. His heart skipped a beat in response. What was that about? This wasn’t the first time an attractive woman had smiled at him. Not to be vain, but from the time he’d been a tyke, the opposite sex had been drawn to him. It wasn’t something that he controlled. It just was.
Caleb couldn’t allow Faith’s grin to sweep him off his feet. Nor could he allow her armrest aggression to go unchallenged. As she’d done earlier, he raised a questioning eyebrow. When she acted as if she didn’t get the message he knew he had to be more direct. “What are you doing?”
“This is my armrest. Yours is on the outside.”
He looked around her. Her other arm was on the other armrest. “But you’re using that one.”
“Elizabeth doesn’t care. Besides, you have the aisle seat. That is a bonus in and of itself.”
“I didn’t realize there was a rating system for arena seats.”
She laughed, a sweet sound that sparked warmth inside his chest. “You don’t expect me to believe that. Even little kids know the hierarchy.”
“Let’s pretend I don’t know and you can enlighten me.”
“It’s fairly simple. Aisle seats are the best. The closer you get to the center, the worse the seats become. I had the ultimate seat, which I very generously gave to you, so naturally I get to use the armrest.”
He didn’t care about the armrest—or the aisle seat. He’d just wanted to sit beside her. But he was enjoying talking with her. “In that case, the armrest is yours.”
“Thank you.”
Geoff Burris, currently rodeo’s biggest star and a resident of Bronco, approached the podium and Caleb and Faith turned their attention to the stage. Geoff welcomed everyone to the opening day of the Golden Buckle Rodeo and then began to talk about Brooks Langtree. The older man had quite an impressive biography. Not only had he been a huge star on the rodeo tour for years, he’d been a pioneer. He’d been the first Black cowboy to win the Golden Buckle.
As Geoff listed his numerous accomplishments—some of which Caleb had been unaware of—images of Brooks on horseback or riding bulls flashed on enormous screens around the arena. Watching the nearest screen, Caleb couldn’t help but be impressed by the man’s obvious skill.
“It is my honor to announce that today is Brooks Langtree Day,” Geoff said, bringing his remarks to a close. “So please, let’s give Brooks a Bronco welcome.”
The crowd roared as Brooks Langtree rose from his seat and approached the podium. Geoff and Brooks embraced before the latter stepped up to the microphone.
Although Brooks Langtree was fifty years old, he had the muscular build of a much younger man. There didn’t appear to be an ounce of fat on him. He was about six foot tall, with an erect bearing. Only a sprinkling of gray in his short-cropped black hair indicated his true age. A close-up of Langtree’s face filled the screens and a shiver raced down Caleb’s spine as he once more noticed the similarities to his own face. The pictures on the flyers hadn’t lied.
Langtree’s eyes sparkled with humor and his smile was friendly as he glanced around the arena, soaking in the applause.
When the cheers died down, Brooks spoke. “I’m honored to be here. It has been a very long time since I’ve been in Montana. Thank you so much for welcoming me back home.”
The crowd erupted in applause again. Brooks was clearly affected by the love the audience sent in his direction. He wiped a tear from his eye and then waved, starting at one side of the arena and turning slowly so that he included each corner in his greeting. Caleb’s heart raced when Brooks turned to his section. He willed the other man to look directly at him, but Brooks didn’t. Even if their eyes met, Caleb knew Brooks Langtree wouldn’t know who he was. To him, Caleb would simply be another face in a sea of faces. A complete stranger.
